Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-08-18
NOVEL USES OF PAPER.
The Thin Substance Taking the Place of Wood
for Many Purposes.
ALBANY Journal

The Thin Substance Taking the Place of Wood
for Many Purposes.
Albany Journal.
There are few things that cannot be
made out of paper. Its adaptability is
astonishing, and the widest speculations
as to its future are excusable when we
reflect upon the present uses of this ma
terial. AS the delicate substance can be
made to serve for steel or iron, it is not
difficult to understand how paper is for
many purposes now taking the place of
wood. Mention was before made of a
new mill in Sweden for the manufacture
of paper from moss. Paper of different
thicknesses and pasteboard made of the
white moss have ali eady been shown, the
latter even in sheets three-quarters of an
inch in thickness. It is as hard as wood,
and can be easily painted and polished.
It has all the good qualities, but none of
the defects of wood. The pasteboard can
consequently be used for door and win
dow frames, architectural naments, and
all kinds of furniture.
Paper made from strong fbers, such
as linen, can, in fact, be compressed into
substance so hard that it can not be
scratched. AS houses have been made of
everything requisite to complete and fur
nish a residence has since been manufac-
tured of paper. After the Breslau fire.
proof chimney, it is quite possible, for
instance, that cooking or heating stoves
can be made of similar materials. These
paper stoves are annealed-that is paint
ed over with a composition which be-
comes part of the paper and is fire.
proof. 1t is said to be impossible to
burn them out, and they are much cheap
er than iron stoves. Bath-tubs and pots
are made in the same manner by COM
pressing the paper made of linen fbers,
and annealing. The tubs we are assured,
will last forever and never leak. Placed
on the fire they will not burn up, and it
is not possible to break or iniure them.
Our rooms can be foored with this won
derfully accommodating material, as proved
by the Indianapolis skating rink, before
referred to in this journal. 1t may here
be mentioned that cracks in floors, around
the skirting board or other parts of a
room, may be neatly and permanently
filled by thoroughly soaking newspapers
in paste made of one pound of flour, three
quarts of water, and tablespoonful of
alum, Thoroughly mixed. The mixture
will be about as thick as putty, and may
be forced into the cracks with a caseknife.
It will harden like papier- mache.
Doors, which one would think were
polished mahogany.but that they swing so
lightly, and are free from swelling, crack
ing, Or warping, are composed each of
two thick paper boards, stamped and
nodded into peanels and glued together
with glue and potash, and then rolled
through heavy rollers. These doors are
first covered with a waterproof coating,
then painted and vanished and hung in
the ordinary way. Few persons can
detect that they are not made of wood,
par ticularly when used as sliding doors.
Black walnut is said to be getting very
scarce in this country; but picture-fr frames
are now made of paper, and colored like
walnut, and are so perfect that no one
could detect them without cutting them.
Paper-pulp, glue, linseed oil, and carbon
ate of lime or whiting are mixed together
and heated into thick cream which. on
being allowed to cool, is run into molds
and hardened.
Drawing can be set off by hand
some pianos manufactured from paper
French invention. A beautiful must
cal instrument of this kind has lately
been an object of great curiosity to the
connosseurs and musical savants of Paris.
The entire case is made of compressed
paper, to which is given hard surface
and cream-white brilliant polish. The
legs and sides are Ornamented with ara
besques and floral designs. The exterior
and as much of the interior as can be
seen when the instrument is open are
covered with wreaths and medallions
painted in miniature by some of the
leading artists of Paris. The tone of
this instrument is said to be excellent
quality though not loud. The b. oxen,
alternating character of piano music is
replaced by rich, full, continuous roll
of sound, resembling somewhat thai of
the organ. Only two of these instru-
ments have been made. One is still on
exhibition; the other has been sold to the
dixie of Deznnshira